'i do' it yourself

romantic rendezvous

2012-02-12T08:24:00.001+11:00

Add some worldwide romance to your destination or travel themed wedding with this gorgeous stationery range. Romantic rendezvous features famous landmarks from around the globe, with a scattering of little love hearts. The designs just ooze romance in berry jam and candy pink, but if you fancy something different, just choose from the huge range of colours.

Also now available is the beautiful matching passport cover, perfect to hold your order of service or even as a menu cover.

Just visit the 'i do' it yourself shop to purchase a print ready PDF computer file delivered via email. Just print at home, trim and decorate. Don't think your home printers up to the task? No problem, you can just take our file to a local printer or just upload to online print shop.

heart shaped happiness

2012-02-10T08:59:00.000+11:00

Pic from Family Fun

If you're looking for a last minute Valentine's idea then pop on a pinny - apron - and bake something!

We all know the way to a mans heart is via his stomach so how about whipping up a batch of heart shaped cupcakes. You can use any cupcake recipe you like, but if you don't have a heart shaped mould just pop a marble or rolled up ball of tin foil between the pan and the lining paper. This will make an indentation in the cupcakes as they bake turning them heart shaped. Just bake as usual. Easy!

valentine's beauty bag

2012-02-08T07:54:00.000+11:00

Valentine's Day is just around the corner, and we've found the best romantic beauty products out there to treat your loved one. Bookmark this post boys.

Molton Brown Valentines pack of two. With a unique mix and match gift box of two Molton Brown products, treat your man with products from the re-charge black pepper range or give a gift to your girl from the paradisiac range. $78
Fall in love with Vera Wangs latest feminine fragrance, Lovestruck. With notes of pink guava and angelica flower in a beautiful bottle decorated with berry flowers and a bow. $89 100mL
Orly I Heart Nails in Butterflies. This deep lolly pink nail polish will add the sweetest touch to your Valentine's Day look $18.95
Agent Provocateur Perfume Solid. A added bonus, this perfume solid is a gift with the purchase of any Agent Provocateur 100mL fragrance.
Jane Iredale Chocoholicks Lipgloss Set. With four lip glosses formulated with all natural flavouring from cocoa and fruit extract. Flavours include Blood Orange, Espresso, Very Berry and Chilli Pepper. Yumm! $50
Lush Sweetheart soap. Shaped like a giant love heart sweet, this gorgeous soap is scented with essential oils of jasmine, sandalwood and ylang ylang to help set the mood. $5.95

something new: tres chic bridal shower

2012-02-06T17:13:00.001+11:00

This beautiful bridal shower invitation is the easy way to add the professional touch to your party. With a cute eiffel tower illustration, it's time for a tres chic shower!Shown here in candy and shocking pink, or pick your own colour combination from the selection on offer.

Also available is the matching bridal shower party kit with party circles, bridal shower games and a welcome sign.

something borrowed: DIY LOVE lights canvas

2012-02-04T18:48:00.001+11:00

Here's a great DIY Valentine's Day project we found - beautiful to have on display at your wedding too if you wanted a bit of a Mouline Rouge vibe. This illuminated LOVE canvas is very simple to make and looks absolutly fantastic. Head over to Indie Spotting for their great tutorial.

All you will need is a canvas, some paint, an awl or similar - a long pointed spike for making the holes - and of course a small strand of plain fairy lights. You can pick these up from Christmas shops, amazon, ebay or try fairylight.co.nz.

romantic rendezvous

2012-02-02T15:57:00.001+11:00

Get ready for a romantic rendezvous this month as we continue our journey, taking a tour of travel inspired weddings. All pink and pretty, it's destination romance just in time for Valentine's Day. Be sure to watch out for our gorgeous real wedding with details to die for.We'll show you how to make a pretty pinwheel centerpiece from vintage maps and take a look at the city of love, Paris, for some inspiration.

Credits: Gown from Zuhair Murad Winter 2010/2011 Collection, pink macaroons via Sippy Stix.

1000 wedding confetti atlas paper hearts US$30 from The Lonely Heart.

Vintage map of Paris via Vintage Me Oh My. Romantic Rendezvous boarding pass invitation from 'i do' it yourself. Mini paper plane centerpiece photographed by Caroline Tran. Pink suitcase print 'My Favorite Spot' US$15 from Yvette Inufio Photography. Bridal dessert buffet in the French Quarter of New Orleans, by Carla Ten Eyck Photography via Jubilee Event.

Colour palette: dark grey, candy pink and almond

2012 colour of the year

2012-01-31T07:56:00.000+11:00

Pantone might have picked orange, but 'i do' it yourself blog readers have voted and aqua/turquoise is their choice for 2012s top colour.

Closely followed by last years pick of green, purple was also still popular. Making the biggest jump in popularity this year - silver - going from 10th to 5th place. Black has also seen an increase from last years vote. Perhaps the biggest surprise is blue, dropping from the third spot to 10th.

So what are your wedding colours? Let us know.

DIY project: white suitcases

2012-01-23T13:49:00.000+11:00

Suitcases can make fantastic props and decorations for weddings, and look amazing in your home afterwards. Pretty easy to come by, just scour your local markets and antique stores. But if you're looking for more chic than shabby, a lick of white paint can transform them.

Just give your suitcase a good clean before you start painting, a coat of primer is a good idea then your white paint. A few stacked together make a great feature or open them up to use as a card box or seating chart display. If the inside needs a tart up too, try decoupaging some old map images or just give it a coat of white paint too.

A Beach Cottage (photo) and Songbird both have step by step instructions if you would like more details.

DIY project: pillow clouds

2012-01-21T10:53:00.000+11:00

photo by Karin Mathilda

What aviation wedding would be complete without a few fluffy clouds to fly around in? Here the photographer cut up old pillows, but you can also use new quilting batting or stuffing to create your own sky!

You will need:
Quilting batting or stuffing
scissors
fishing wire
sticky tape

How to:
1. Tear up sections of stuffing into roughly the size you would like the cloud
2. Stretch and fluff out the material to create a shape you’re happy with
3. Wrap your fishing wire around the cloud leaving a long line for hanging, and re-plump the cloud were necessary.
4. Then simply attach the line to the ceiling with a bit of sticky tape

free world map downloads

2012-01-19T08:50:00.000+11:00

Last January we gave you a few links to download free map images. It proved to be a pretty popular post. So this year we've tracked down some more gorgeous world maps, great for those DIY craft projects.

1. Ocean currents map from mapcruzin.com 22 x 12cm
2. Colourful vintage geopolitical world map from vintageprintable.com 12.5 x 10cm
3. Vintage hemisphere map 22 x 19cm

something new: boarding pass photo save the date

2012-01-17T15:35:00.000+11:00

Get your guests excited with this fun save the date, great for a destination wedding! Using your supplied photo and mimicking the design of a real boarding pass with a super cute love heart stamp.

Shown here in this seasons hottest shades of grey and bright vermilion orange, or pick your own colour combination.

Head on over to the 'i do' it yourself shop to purchase a print ready PDF computer file delivered via email. Just print at home, trim and decorate. Don't think your home printers up to the task? No problem, you can just take the file to a local printer or just upload to online print shop! Easy!

DIY project: paper plane centrepiece

2012-01-15T12:27:00.000+11:00

Here's a super simple centrepiece idea. We all know how to fold paper planes, so why not grab some card stock, wire and tape and whip these up? Pic from Rachel Ray.

real wedding: Justine and Stephen

2012-01-13T13:22:00.001+11:00

It's real wedding time again. And this month we have a stunning vintage aviation inspired affair. The venue was the amazing Planes of Fame Air Museum in California, photographed by the lovely Heidi Ryder - who clearly had a lot of fun with those gorgeous antique planes for props.

Justine and Stephen set the scene for their vintage aviation wedding with 'i do' it yourself's antique chic boarding pass invitation and a custom map design. A simple craft paper envelope all adds to that old fashioned feel.

After a traditional church ceremony they headed to the very unusual airplane hanger reception venue. Beautifully styled in elegant black and white, the old hanger came to life full of 1940s glamour.

new year beauty radar

2012-01-11T12:25:00.000+11:00

So you've heard us nattering on about Pantone and it's colour predictions for this year, well, there is also a fragrance forecast. Each year Bell Flavors and Fragrances releases it's pick of scents, and it's 2012 top ten are out:

Ginger Orchid
Orange Flower
Tart Guava
Gold Amber
Green Pear
Spicy Bergamot
Root Beer
Pink Pepper
Leather
Tomato Leaf

Don't worry, this doesn't mean 2012 is the year of swaggering down the aisle drinking root bear and carrying a leather suitcase stuffed with tomato plants. Bell's idea is one of good old fashioned luxury and many of these scents are already in use in popular perfumes. Here are a few worth considering, plus some new products on our beauty radar.

1. Aveda tourmaline charged radiant skin refiner, $64.95 2. Burberry Body Eau de Parfum Intense, $187
3. Sisley Paris Eau de Campagne Eau de Toilette, 50ml, $115 4. Bottega Veneta 75ml, $180
5. Jean Paul Gaultier Classique Eau De Toilette, 100ml, $170

airplane travel stationery

2012-01-08T12:25:00.000+11:00

Grab your boarding pass and get ready to jet off to a fabulous wedding with this unique range or stationery. These airplane travel designs are the perfect way to set the scene for a destination or flight themed wedding. Simple and stylish, decorated with cute little plane icons travelling along their flight paths.

Shown here in smart black and white or you can choose your own colour combination from the huge selection.

Available from the 'i do' it yourself online shop.

aviation museums

2012-01-06T11:39:00.000+11:00

Canadian Aviation Museum in Ottawa

Last year we saw an increasing number of couples set off on their wedding adventure at an aviation museum. Most venues are able to accommodate both the ceremony and reception, and provide a setting that the guests will never forget. There seems to be no shortage of US options, but what about down under?

The idea hasn't quite taken off in Australia and New Zealand yet but there are a few museums and airports offering wedding packages:
The Australian Aviation Museum at Bankstown Airport, Sydney
Aviation Museum, Port Adelaide, SA
Air Force Museum of New Zealand, Christchurch. NZ
The Aviator Lounge situated at The Illawarra Regional Airport
The Moth Cafe, Bar and Restaurant, near The Croydon Aviation Heritage Trust, NZ
Chapel in the Sky Helicopter Weddings, Sydney

If you know any more venues let us know so we can add them to the list!

come fly with me

2012-01-04T08:49:00.000+11:00

It's a new year and love is definitely in the air. This month we're taking inspiration from the past, from a time when the height of glamour and romance was air travel.
It's probably the biggest photo prop you're likely to come across - the airplane - but it's perfect for destination weddings, a military wedding and for couples who met on a plane or just like to travel.

Airport runways have been transformed into ceremony locations, hangers make the ideal reception venue and some couples are even getting married in flight. Aviation weddings are really taking off!

Credits: smh, vintage map from vintage printable. Vintage dictionary airplane cutouts $1 from Holly Devlin. Vintage electric fans via Country Living.

Airplane save the date postcard from 'i do' it yourself. Aviator fashion from Harpers Bazaar via Piccsy. Aviation museum venue via the knot. Seating chart map DIY project from i do it yourself. Model plane via Stuck at the Airport. Airplane Silhouette Cufflinks US$25 from Mister Manatee.

Colour palette: black and white

Happy New Year

2012-01-02T12:51:00.000+11:00

Happy New Year everyone, lets kick the year of with a free download! These cute DIY labels can be used for just about anything - favours, decorations, place settings, just get creative!In our pick of 2012s hottest shades of vermilion, grey and buttercup yellow.

To download just visit the i do it yourself website.

the trends of 2011

2011-12-31T12:51:00.001+11:00

Happy New Year everyone! We hope you've had a good one. Lets finish this years posts off with a look back at some of 2011s top trends and a few picks for 2012.

This years must have accessory was the beaded bouquet, forget real flowers, more and more brides opted for gorgeous button and brooch creations that will last a lifetime. (Heirloom jewelled bouquet by Noaki)

Photobooths are fun for everyone. Do it yourself or call in a professional, just have a plentiful supply of silly props to hand. (24 printable photobooth prop signs from i do it yourself pic from Hot Metal Studio)

The wedding of Kate Middleton to Prince William proved not surprisingly to be your favourite this year. Thanks to Kate, and Westminster Abbey rules, lace sleeves whether they be long or short started appearing everywhere and we're sure to see more of them next year. (Lace wedding dress from Bridal Bliss Designs)

Vintage styling is still going strong and will be a popular choice in 2012. From homely rustic chic to old Hollywood glamour, just look to the past for inspiration. (Vintage telegram invitation from i do it yourself)

So what's looking hot for 2012. We think we'll see more bold prints and graphic shapes being used. Tangerine Tango was Pantone's colour pick for the year and we've already started to see plenty of bright oranges creeping into colour palettes. Mix it with aqua blues for a stunning colour scheme this summer. Purples and shades of blue are proving popular, while teaming grey with just about anything is a smart choice.

What's your pick for 2012?

steal that style: Julie and Spencer

2011-12-23T15:24:00.000+11:00

If you loved the look of Julie and Spencer's on trend orange and grey wedding, here's how to get it.

Glass hanging votive lanterns. Small $25.95, medium $32.95 from Artis & Grove.
Orange Flower Brooch. US$13 from Sunny April.
Classic fingerprint guest book tree, printable file. $20 from 'i do' it yourself
Orange Gerbera Daisy and Ivory Silk Ring Bearer Pillow. US$44 from White Thistle Bridal.
Dreamy chiffon gray dress. UD$46.80 from River of Romansk.

Colour palette: Vermilion, orange, light and dark grey.

real wedding: Julie and Spencer

2011-12-21T13:12:00.002+11:00

We have the most fabulously fashionable wedding to share today! Pantone recently announced their colour of the year for 2012 is Tangerine Tango, and this gorgeous bride and groom either had the inside word or just great taste choosing a stunning colour palette of grey and vibrant vermilion for their big day.

The girls looked gorgeous in different shades of grey with bright bouquets of gerberas, while the guys were super smart in charcoal grey suits, striped ties and gerbera boutonnieres.

The wedding cake was an amazing cupcake tower with simple white icing and little dark grey ribbons adding the perfect finishing touch. Charcoal grey table runners looked fabulous against the clean white table cloths.

Julie and Spencer selected a lovely 'i do' it yourself fingerprint tree as their guest book - the addition of the juicy greens works beautifully with the orange and grey. Congratulations guys, a truly inspiring wedding! And a big thanks to Kaoverii Marapon Photography for letting us share her stunning photographs.

christmas competition

2011-12-18T17:11:00.000+11:00

Merry Christmas to all of our blog readers! It's been a busy year and we hope you have enjoyed all the tips and projects we have found, the fun theme ideas and our printable stationery. This year we finally launched the new website. Very exciting, although it did drive us nuts at times, let me tell you! Moving all the products over from the old shop! But, we're nearly there and the new site should make shopping for printable stationery much easier. So as the year wraps up let's celebrate with a giveaway!

Prize: An 'i do' it yourself invitation of your choice and matching printable save the date card or rsvp!

How to enter: In the comments section leave a note telling us what you would like to see on the blog next year. It can be more of what we do or a totally new idea. Or just let us know what bit you like the best or dislike the most. The best answer will be selected to win. Don't forget to leave an email address or a way to contact you if you win!

The winner will be announced on the blog on December 31st, 2011. Good luck!

This competition is now closed. Congratulations to Lauren!

grey and red

2011-12-16T21:17:00.000+11:00

Colour palette: crimson red and dark grey, perfect for a Christmas wedding

Credits: Grey bridesmaids dress with red bouquet via Brides. Beautiful Scandinavian style dinning via Home Klondike. Red and grey wedding cake via Manolo for Brides. Red and grey wedding party shot by Travis Hoehne Photography.

green and grey

2011-12-14T11:47:00.000+11:00

Colour palette: grass green and light grey

Credits: Grey chevron wedding cake with succulent via Grey Likes Weddings, green bouquets and grey bridesmaid dresses via My Sweet and Saucy, green and grey reception via the knot, a smart looking groom in light grey by Green Apple Photos.

grey and orange

2011-12-12T09:50:00.000+11:00

Colour palette: orange and dark grey

This one's sure to be a hit in 2012 with Pantone picking Tangerine as their colour of the year.

Credits: Orange pom poms above a dessert table of dark grey, orange and white via Greys Likes Weddings, charcoal grey bridesmaids with bright orange bouquets via tumblr, looking smart in charcoal grey suit with orange tie and bouttonniere via the knot, orange and grey tablescape from Hostess with the Mostess.

grey and yellow

2011-12-10T17:56:00.000+11:00

Colour palette: lemon yellow and light grey

Credits: Gorgeous grey bridesmaid gown with a posey of yellow roses by Stephanie Williams via Sitting in a Tree Events. Dessert bar backdrop of yellow and grey paper rosettes via Hostess with the Mostess, pale grey cake icing with yellow details via the Knot. Cute couple in yellow and grey via Manolo for the Brides.

goodness 'gray'cious

2011-12-08T06:44:00.000+11:00

One of the hottest trends for 2011, and showing no signs of fading leading into 2012, is cool grey. It's most popular partner has been yellow, but orange, red and green have made great combinations too.

Of course grey works particularly well at Christmas time or winter, especially when teamed with silver and red.

Credits: Dress unknown, grey ring pillow with silver plated leaves and white ribbon, US$45 from Woomi. Grey foliage and cream flowers in embossed paper vases, via Martha Stewart.

Pale grey lace necklace, US$32 from White Owl. A winter tablescape of grey and white via Elizabeth Anne Designs.
Grey and cream macaroons from The Caketress. A four tier carrot cake decorated in white and grey icing, via Wedding Chicks.

something new

2011-12-06T15:07:00.000+11:00

It's been such a super busy year for us here. The new website is now up and running with more fun new designs being added every week. I thought today we'd show off a few of our latest creations that we haven't had chance to share yet...

Love story save the date

Lace handkerchief invitation

Classic square justified invitation

Tying the knot table numbers

Chalkboard table numbers

2011-12-04T10:00:00.000+11:00

Add the perfect finishing touches to winter or Christmas weddings, and even your Christmas decorations with these cute craft products:

Fiskars lever punch snowflake, great for all sorts of projects.
Decorative 1.5cm wide red and white lace tape. 15m roll $3.50 from Plushka's Makery.
12 pretty clear plastic snowflake embellishments. £3 from Overspill.
The new sweetheart inker from We R Memory Keepers in red. Easy to hold with a wide edge for large areas and a pointed edge for detailed work.
Christmas crochet garland in scarlet red. 180cm long. £36 from Emma Lamb.

White Magazine

2011-12-02T10:05:00.001+11:00

A lovely way to start a new month! The beautiful White magazine is out packed with all sorts of lovely ideas and dreamy pics. We were wrapped to see our fiesta and tie the knot invitations featured in some beautiful theming pages. Plus if you turn to page 23 you'll find our step by step to making a nautical invite pocket.

ombré cakes

2011-11-30T08:10:00.000+11:00

To finish the month off, lets take a look at what really started the ombré trend - cakes! There are two ways to get an ombre effect cake, with a gradual change in icing colour, or surprise your guests with layers of different coloured sponge inside.

From the top: A delicious yellow buttercream cake, accented with cascading fondant ribbons by Sugar Bee Sweets via Southern Weddings. Bands of pink ombre by Cake Croquette. M&M covered cake via Martha Stewart. Another Martha masterpiece in pinks and cream. Cake by Maggie Austin. Ruffles of pink icing by Lulu Scarsdale. A floral top with layers of purple underneath, by Maggie Austin. Turquoise ribbons for the top by Bobbette and Belle. Blue buttercream via pinterest.

If you would like to try your hand at making your own ombre icing, Glorious Treats has a great step by step to follow to make a fabulous pink ombre swirl cake with layers of pink sponge!

Lovely lilac ombre cake by Kate Miller Events. Pink rainbow cake by Call me Cupcake, complete with recipe. DIY ombre layer cake by Key Lime Weddings.

ombre lights

2011-11-28T09:14:00.000+11:00

We've found two great little ombre DIY projects for the home that could easily be used as wedding decor. This gorgeous paper chandelier is simply made with a punch and paint swatches! Check out the whole beautiful tutorial on Hey Gorgeous.

Martha Stewart has a great step by step to make this beautiful ombre pendant lampshade, these would make fabulous decorations over a dessert table or guest book area, and then you can take them home afterwards!

free watercolour images

2011-11-26T13:15:00.000+11:00

If you love ombre, you'll love this. We've found some great resources to download beautiful watercolour images, and best of all, they are free. Great for all sorts of DIY projects:

Lost and Taken has 25 very large watercolour textures to download
Eight lovely backgrounds from Jocosity
Another fab 25 textures by Sad Monkey Design

real wedding: kate and barry

2011-11-24T12:05:00.000+11:00

We're so excited today to share these gorgeous photo booth pictures from Kate and Barry's recent wedding shot by Hot Metal Studio in Pennsylvania.

Photo booths are a fantastic adition to any weddng. Here Kate and Barry have used 'i do' it yourself's printable photo booth signs - $15 to download a set of 24 here - an empty old picture frame, hats and a feather bower. Talk to your photographer about setting up a photo booth at your wedding, or you could make your own.

To make your own wedding photobooth you will need a good backdrop, some fun props and of course a camera and tripod. Set your camera on the tripod, making sure the height is correct for your shots, and attach a remote camera trigger. Your background can be anything from the very simple but effective brick wall used here, to a piece of fabric or a handmade garland backdrop. Check out some of our previous posts for DIY photo booth backdrop ideas.

ombre banners, backdrops and bunting

2011-11-18T11:03:00.001+11:00

There are plenty of ways to introduce a little ombre into your wedding decor. Banners, backdrops and bunting are a great place to start. Here are a few ideas we found:

At first glance they may look like strips of fabric, but they are in fact clothes pegs! Just different shades pegged to some string for a very unique dessert bar backdrop. Via Style me Pretty. An ombré shower curtain from Anthropologie works perfectly as the backdrop for an outdoor drinks bar. Or make your own ombré garland from strips of old sheets with a great tutorial from Bump Smitten.

Try this beautiful dyed fabric ombré backdrop step by step from Green Wedding Shoes or for something really simple, just use balloons! Via Little Green Notebook.

wedding DIY magazine

2011-11-16T12:59:00.000+11:00

The latest issue of Modern Wedding DIY magazine is out now and we're so pleased to see our Sixties Style mood board featured on page 28 along with our love love love order of service cover. Thanks guys! This issue is packed full of great DIY wedding projects and ideas so make sure you pick up a copy at your local newsagents.

steal that style: ombre table cloth

2011-11-14T07:48:00.001+11:00

Photo by Beck Hill via Green Wedding Shoes

This gorgeous pink table settings stand out feature has to be the beautiful hand dyed table cloth. And it turns out its not too difficult to recreate this look yourself at home. Forget hiring table cloths, make your own ombre masterpieces!

All you need is water, salt, some buckets and dylon! Oh Happy Day has a great post to step you through the process.

DIY stationery: softspot

2011-11-11T11:51:00.001+11:00

A soft spot is defined as a tender or sentimental feeling. If you have a soft spot for pretty designs then this printable wedding stationery is for you. Featuring a ombre gradient and bokeh photography effect of little sparkling lights, it's perfect for all sorts of occasions and very romantic.

Shown here in a gradient of candy pink and almond, or as with most 'i do' it yourself designs, the colours can be changed. Below are some colour change examples which as you can see make a dramatic difference to the look and feel of the invitation.

The soft spot range is available from the 'i do' it yourself online shop.

DIY beauty: ombre nails

2011-11-09T16:56:00.002+11:00

You might have noticed ombré hair was a hot trend this year, but what about ombre nails? It's really quite simple to achieve at home, and they look fabulous! Use dark colours for a daring look like the one picture above, or for a more subtle effect great for weddings, just use softer shades. There are a few different ways to go about achieving ombré nails, here's one we like:

You will need
Two different shades of nail polish
Foundation sponge
Topcoat
Base coat
Paper plate or similar throw away surface

How to
Step 1. Apply your base coat, and wait for it to dry.
Step 2. Apply your base colour.
Step 3. Pour a small amount of the second nail polish onto your paper plate or similar and dab a little onto the foundation sponge.
Step 4. Pat the nail polish onto your nails in short quick strokes, concentrating on the ends. Before it has dried add the topcoat to blend the colours together.

Pic via Nail Art Mania

ombré fashion

2011-11-07T22:00:00.000+11:00

Jorge Terra blush pink wedding dress and ombre gown from Versace via Fashion Bride

The slightly more daring bride may want to consider an ombre dress. I'm sure plenty of us remember Gwen Stefani's wedding dress from 2002 that looked like the ends had been dipped in a vat pink dye. Rock chic? Daring? Or just ahead of its time?Here are a few gorgeous gowns to get you thinking, and remember if its too much for YOUR dress - there's always the bridesmaids.

After Six bridesmaid dress via Weddington Way, Badgley Mischka ombre chiffon gown via Prom Advice,
ombre bridesmaids dresse by Dessy. Versace via Fashion Bride, ruffled ombre gown by Ziolkowski, colorful ombre wedding dress by Wai Ching, hand dyed ombre ruffled tulle skirt by Onuma, Alice + Olivia ombre rosette tube dress via Shop Style.

2011-11-05T15:25:00.000+11:00

One of the prettiest trends in weddings this year has been the beautiful shaded tones of ombre, or ombré to be precise. It can be any colour - pink, blue even grey but what makes it ombré is the graduated colour, from light to dark.

Credits: Floral centerpiece from Martha Stewart, dyed fabric ombré backdrop via Green Wedding Shoes, pink ombre ruffled ball gown by Sherry Hill from French Novelty.

Pink omber cake with swirl icing from Glorious Cakes. Shirley Temple mocktails via Make Baby Smile. Softspot ombré wedding invitation by 'i do' it yourself. Beautiful ombre rose boquet via Elizabeth Anne Designs. Pink ombre stiletto court shoes by Anne Klein via Endless. Ombre tissue pom poms by Smile and Wave.

2011-11-03T12:59:00.000+11:00

Colourful new craft products on our radar this month:

These cute little journalling vials could make lovely little wedding favours with thank you notes to guests. Each pack contains four glass vials and eight double-sided paper sayings. From Making Memories
i-rock LED light tweezers. Great for picking up small objects! $14.85 from Discount Scrapbooking.
Ranger Archival Ink Pads. A beautiful new range of colours that are acid free, non toxic and waterproof. They are even permanent on matte and gloss papers. Great for those fingerprint guest book trees! $8.75 from Lorna Blue Studio.
i-rock crystal heat setting tool. Permanently affix diamonties, jewels, pearls, or mirrors to paper, fabric, or even furniture! $22.95 from Scrapbook Boutique.
OPALS embossing enamel. Available in 32 colours including this dazzling 'warms' set. 100% Australian made and acid free. $22 from Pipe Dream Ink.

melbourne cup picks

2011-11-01T02:30:00.000+11:00

It's that time of year again, the Melbourne Cup! And today we have what is becoming a bit of a tradition on the 'i do' it yourself blog, our cup picks - for hats, headbands and fascinators that is. Firm favourites for the races and weddings. We love putting this collection together, partly because of all the great designs we find and partly because we just like making racing puns. Im sure you're all chomping at the bit to see what we've found this year so without any further ado...

Tulle Bridal Birdcage veil - Blushing Petals. Made with light ivory bridal illusion tulle, and ivory silk and light ivory silk organza flowers each made by hand. €60,00 from SIBO Designs.
Holly and birdcage veil - with a double blossom hair clip handcrafted from satin and silk organza and a bandeau style bird cage veil. $122 from Percy Handmade.
Hair flower fascinator and feather hairclip - MELIANA CRYSTALIA. $69 from YJ Design.
Feathered mini bridal hat - Coco. Made from coque feathers, vintage scalloped lace, russian veiling, strung pearls, vintage velvet millinery leaves and a pearl/rhinestone brooch. US$184 from Tessa Kim.
Pleated Victorian Bridal Hat - The Byrone. Made with ivory velvet, pleated moire ribbon and bleached peacock swords. US$294 from Topsy Turvy Design.

Bead Bow hairband. With bugle beads and swarovski pearls, so simple but so pretty. US$235 from Anca Pe'elma.
Cluster head piece. With hand dyed silk flowers and velvet leaf accents in silvery grey attached to a gold plated wire comb. Available in blush pinks, off white and silver grey. US$125 from Twigs and Honey.
Bridal mini hat - Amelie. With two cabbage roses made from white silk dupion and sky blue cotton. Finished with vintage pearl tip stamens, blue candy handmade cotton leaves, and an elegant ostrich feather. US$200 from Olive Farm.
Ethereal floral headdress - Lothiriel. A crown of hand woven vines with curling silver wire accents and cascading drapes of antique silver chain. Decorated with delicate ivory blossoms with antique leaves and pale blue accents. US$79 from Gardens of Whimsy.
Five strands crystal chain headband. Grecian style crystal chain headband available in gold or silver. With five rows of crystal chains securely hand-sewn to silk ribbons. US$120 from Woomi.

DIY project: aged glass jars

2011-10-28T09:19:00.000+11:00

Earlier this month we talked about the popularity of American Mason Jars, especially the vintage ones with their pretty blue glass. They can be difficult to come by in other countries so here is a great idea to get a similar look with recycled bottles at home.

What you will need:
Old glass jars and bottles, labels removed and cleaned
Pebeo Glass Paint - Vitrea 160 in turquoise
Pebeo Glass Paint - Vitrea 160 paint thinner
Soft paint brush or sponge

How to:
Step 1. Mix a small dot of turquoise with paint thinner. About 25% paint to 75% thinner, and apply a light wash of paint to the outside of your glass jar. Repeat with all your jars.
Step 2. Leave the jars to dry for 24 hrs
Step 3. Bake in the oven for 40mins at 160°C. This will set the colour, tone down the brush strokes and make it dishwasher safe.

You can purchase Pebeo paints at most art shops and craft stores. Alternatively you could try using Mod Podge and food colouring to get a similar effect, Craftberry Bush has a great step by step for this process.

Photo credit: Elizabeth Demos via Once Wed and Craftberry Bush.

grass cakes

2011-10-26T09:24:00.000+11:00

Adding grass to your wedding cake might sound a bit odd, but as we showed you in the last post, it's pretty good when the grass is made from icing! Here are a few ideas to inspire, each with a different take on edible grass.

1. Hand painted wheatgrass on white fondant with butterflies and little dots, via the knot.
2. If blades of grass isn't your thing, how about grass green icing and deocrate with little spring flowers. Via Southern Weddings.
3. Fondant cake with gum-paste grass and sugar blossoms from brides.com.
4. Inspired by the first cake, this version shot by Mod 4 photography has additional edible leaves, birds and piped on grass.

DIY project: grass cupcakes

2011-10-24T17:23:00.000+11:00

Here are two great ways to add a touch of spring to your wedding with grass cupcakes!

Option one - paper cupcake wrappers. Really simple to make, especially when we've got a handy free cupcake wrapper template for you to download. Just print the template onto some green card stock, cut out and finish with a grass edge punch. Here we have used a Fiskars punch but there are plenty of others to choose from. Just wrap your grass around the cupcake and secure with a little double sided sticky tape.
Visit the 'i do' it yourself shop to download the free basic cupcake wrapper template.

Option two - icing! Using a number 233 icing tip and a good deal of green food colouring, you can transform your cupcakes into little patches of grass. Beki Cook's Cake Blog has a lovely tutorial and even shows you how to add cute bees and ladybugs.

something new: falling in love

2011-10-22T13:53:00.000+11:00

While we've been busy focusing on spring the past few weeks here at 'i do' it yourself we haven't forgotten about our Northern Hemisphere friends! New this month is the beautiful 'fall'ing in love range. Including some beautiful ideas for reception decorations like these cute menu cards.
Available from the 'i do' it yourself shop

DIY project: ribbon photobooth backdrop

2011-10-20T07:12:00.000+11:00

Making a photobooth backdrop out of ribbon has got to be of the easiest DIY wedding projects you could do. All you will need is twine, ribbon and something to string it up between, which is why outdoors is a great location. Just tie strips of ribbon to the twine and your done. Of course you can mix the colours and textured of the ribbons up, and even use strips of lace.

And of course you can use the same idea in all sorts of settings - reception decorations, the ceremony, the cake table and even a backdrop for the band.

Photos: Ricardo Viera via Un Beau Jour, Elizabeth Anne Designs, My Sweet and Saucy and via Intermate Weddings

steal that style: Elly and Jake

2011-10-18T13:44:00.000+11:00

If you loved the look of Elly and Jake's garden reception, here's how to get it.

Mason Jars. These are a North American product, and can be hard to track down in Australia and NZ. Shipping costs will probably make buying from overseas sellers a little too expensive so keep an eye out for vintage glass jars at markets and in antique stores. You can of course recycle your used glass jars at home. Keep an eye out later this month for our aged glass jar project.
Classic fingerprint guest book tree - printable file, $20 from 'i do' it yourself.
26 printable photo booth props $15 from 'i do' it yourself. Includes seven moustache on stick styles.
Pink gingham ribbon for your DIY photo booth backdrop, available from any good craft or fabric store.
Cherry-Blossom Princess Cake Recipe from Martha Stewart Weddings.

Colour palette: Jungle and grass green with candy pink.

real wedding: Elly and Jake

2011-10-16T12:32:00.000+11:00

There is something really magical about an outdoor wedding. Perhaps it's just the trees rustling in the breeze on a warm day, or maybe it's as the sun begins to go down and the fairy lights come on. Today we have a gorgeous garden wedding to share, shot by the very talented Duston Todd. A dreamy and relaxed reception with green grass, wildflowers and a scattering of blossoms.

A cute hand painted sign points the way to Elly and Jakes stunning garden reception and their beautiful photo booth set up. Strips of green and pink ribbon are tied to a piece of string and hung between two trees - so simple but so clever. A collection of fun photo booth props, like the good old mustache on a stick where on hand too.

Mason Jars are the wedding decoration of choice at the moment, espeically if you have a rustic or vintage feel to the day. Here Elly and Jake have used them as tea light candle holders, vases for wildflowers and photo frames - another very popular wedding trend this year. Just pop your photos into the jar. Engagement shots are great, or you can even use old family wedding photos, just use copies of the originals if you are worried about damaging them.

Elly and Jake chose one of 'i do' it yourself's fingerprint guest book trees, decorated with two lovely shades of green ink for the leaves/fingerprints. We always find working with two ink colours works really well for these. You can choose the same colour but in different shades for a soft, subtle look as above. Or for something a little more daring pick two contrasting colours for a bold effect.

Elly and Jake's reception decor was simple, charming and beautiful. Handmade paddle fans to keep the guests cool - you can put all sorts of things on these: the menu, order of reception or just personal messages to your guests.

A pretty display table was set up for the guest book tree, decorated with photos beautifully framed from the pre-wedding shoot, flowers and candles. A selection of weddings cakes covered in white fondant and topped with real pink blossoms sat on a simple burlap tablecloth.

As the sun went down, those little fairy lights came on, candles where lit and guests kicked off their shoes. The perfect end to a truely beautiful wedding.

Trick or treat!

2011-10-13T11:20:00.000+11:00

With Halloween just around the corner we thought we'd share a super cute free download today. These little trick or treat party circles are an easy DIY project. Perfect for October weddings, use them as cupcake toppers or gift tags for goodie bags filled with sweets! Or just use them at your Halooween party.

Available as a free download in the new 'i do' it yourself shop.

spring grass wedding stationery

2011-10-11T08:14:00.000+11:00

This fresh stationery range is perfect for a spring or summer wedding outdoors. With a pretty grass design across the bottom and a scattering of little butterflies. Shown here in what else but grass green - or pick your own colours from a huge selection.

Available now from the 'i do' it yourself online shop.

october beauty bag

2011-10-09T15:26:00.000+11:00

Paperself eyelashes in Peach Blossoms. Inspired by the art of Chinese paper-cutting these intricate designs are sure to amaze. In two sizes, small to accentuate the corners of your eyes, or go all out with the full lashes. $25
Hindu Grass Nasomatto Extrait de Parfum 30 ml. This calming scent with notes of herbs and grass is for both men and women. $162
Ecoya travel tin candle in lemongrass & ginger. Light this handy little travel sized candle on the wedding morning and relax. With a refreshing scent of ginger and cut lemongrass. $24.95
Maybelline New York EyeStudio Hyper Diamonds Quins Eye Shadow in Emerald Diamonds. $18.95

This months bag: All About a Bow - Ivory on New Grass bridesmaid clutch purse, US$78, by Davie and Chiyo.

DIY project: burlap boutonniere

2011-10-07T16:28:00.000+11:00

Boutonnieres are great little DIY projects to tackle for a wedding. Not too time consuming, and if you're not using fresh flowers, a great keepsake. Adventures in Dressmaking has the most adorable step by step to smarten up your man in no time. Using beautiful rustic burlap, some feathers, buttons and a little ribbon. We think this style is just perfect for an outdoor wedding. And so much fun to put together you'll be insisting on more groomsmen just so you can make more!

spring grass

2011-10-05T16:23:00.000+11:00

Spring is the perfect time to get outdoors, so why not move your wedding out there too? This month we'll take a look at some gorgeous garden wedding ideas with a colour palette of juicy greens.

Credits: Garden wedding gown by Atelier Aimee. Butterfly covered paper lanterns from Martha Stewart. Grass table centrepiece with daisies from Brides.
An amazing grass print tablecloth via the Wedding Source. Grass and butterfly cake via the knot. Spring Grass save the date by i do it yourself. Green paper butterfly wall garland by Vera Paper Lab. Shepherds hooks with boxwood balls decorate this aisle, via Down the Aisle with Style.

2011-10-03T15:20:00.000+11:00

Fresh new craft products on our radar this month:

Cuttlebug V2 Embossing and Die Cutting Machine. A cute portable system which uses a unique rolling technology for crisp cuts and professional-quality embossing. $115 from Fat Cats Card Corner.
Diamond Rhinestone Ribbon Wrap Roll. Also known as Bling Mesh or Glitter Mesh, this bendable ribbon looks just like diamantes. Great for wrapping around table decorations. Sold in US but there are plenty of sellers on ebay for Australian customers.
Sew Ribbon Tool and Stencil. This great tool makes it easy to apply threaded ribbon to even thick paper. Shown here in a pretty leaf pattern but there are plenty of designs to choose from including Shoelace and Weave. $14.99 each from the Scrapbook Store
Martha Stewart edge punch in grass. Perfect for outdoor spring wedding details. $24 from Craft Candy
EK Success Paper Shaper in Fall Leaf. A great punch that creates three unique shapes to make gorgeous maple leaves. $19.99 from the Scrapbook Store

wedding top three

2011-10-01T17:26:00.000+10:00

It's often suggested that a great way to budget for your wedding day is to pick three things that are most important to you. Spend most of your budget on these three things and try to save on the rest. So last month we asked our readers which three things they would blow the budget on. The results are in and the wedding venue took out the top spot very closely followed by the dress and the catering! The smallest portion of the budget going to the invitations, accessories and transport. Not too many helicopter arrivals planned then?

steal that style

2011-09-29T14:28:00.000+10:00

If you loved the look of Eric and Bathany's beautiful floral wedding, heres how to get it. With a yummy spring colour palette of pear, grass, candy and crimson.

Vintage fat quarter fabric - reclaimed cotton with pink, maroon and green floral pattern, £1.80 from Raven and Matilda.
Birdcage Blusher Veil - with spring green floral and feathered fascinator and rhinestones. $79.99 from KMD Creations.
Cream rose necklace - double stranded with vintage glass jewel, $42 from Lauren Blythe Designs.
Potted succulents starting at $2 from your local market or garden shop.
'I do' Rhinestone Applique - something blue for your shoe! Complete with keepsake card and instructions, $10 from Mon Amour Boutique.
Tree of Love - fingerprint guest book tree printable file, $20 from 'i do' it yourself

real wedding: Eric and Bethany

2011-09-27T20:10:00.000+10:00

A beautiful spring wedding all the way from Indianapolis to brighten your day. Full of colour and pretty floral details, with a colour palette of juicy green and yellow with bold reds and pinks.

It was truly a DIY family affair, with the grooms mother making not only the wedding dress but the flowers and food too! She even made the beautiful floral tablecloths which provided a gorgeous backdrop for the cake and escort cards.

DIY bride Bethany made her own stationery and sourced many handmade items on etsy, including our fingerprint guest book tree.

Photographed by Magelaine Images.

rose cakes

2011-09-25T10:18:00.000+10:00

Some wedding cake eye candy for you this morning. These amazing creations with rose motifs are from Peggy Proschen. At the top, a Cath Kidston inspired design with a mix of round and square tiers, polka dots and pinstripes. Bottom, the rose pattern was made using a special sugar craft technique called brush-embroidery. A simple step by step guide to this can be found on Bake, Decorate, Celebrate!

For those lucky enough to live in London, you can enrol in the Peggy Porschen Academy or just pick up a copy of her beautiful book 'Romantic Cakes'

steal that style: rose chair covers

2011-09-23T10:49:00.000+10:00

Pic via Preston Bailey

How about this pretty alternative to the usual fabric sash chair decorations? Giant fabric roses. Of course making hundreds of these for a big wedding might be out of the question but it would be a lovely way to distinguish the bridal table.

How to
Step 1. First you'll need to make chair caps. Make sure you know the measurements of the chairs you'll be using, the width, the sides, and the length you want the cap to be.
Step 2. Make a paper pattern of the cap dimensions plus 2.5cm seam allowance; you can trim this back later. Cut it out and pin it to a piece of fabric which you will have folded in half wrong side facing up. The fold will be the top of your chair cap.
Step 3. Sew down the two sides, tidy the bottom up with a hem and trim raw edges.

Pretty straight forward if you know your way around a sewing machine. The next bit is the fun part, making some giant fabric roses.

Step 4. Cut a very long strip about 20 x 200cm from the same fabric as the chair caps; then sew a small hem along one side. (If the material you are using for your cap is quite heavy, you may have to choose a lighter weight for your rose)
Step 5. Take the strip and, with the wrong side of the fabric facing you, start by pinning it into position on the back (right side facing) of your cap; making sure you are pinning the raw edge of your fabric strip and not the hemmed edge. Start in the centre and gradually work outwards in a tight spiral, pinning it as you go. Continue pinning and spiralling outward - you can always add extra to your strip should you run out.
Step 6. Once your rose is finished and you are happy with the result, you can choose to either sew it by hand or by machine. Whichever you choose you may find it easier to sew the centre by hand.

the print collection

2011-09-21T12:04:00.000+10:00

It was love at first sight when these gorgeous new limited edition scents from Stella McCartney arrived in the 'i do' it yourself office. Inspired by her latest catwalk collection, the beautiful bottle design is perfect to keep as a pretty reminder of your big day, long after the lovely fragrance has gone.

Stella The Print Collection (30ml), $82 each

floral seating chart

2011-09-19T09:15:00.000+10:00

These pretty ideas for floral seating charts are perfect for a spring wedding, and relatively simple to make. Just wrap some lovely floral fabric round an existing board, spay glue will be handy for keeping it smooth. Then as in the first two pictures, wrap some twine around to peg the seating arragements to. Easy. Alternatively you could wrap your fabric around a pin board, and we love the example using real roses!

Pics: This table plan was made using a shabby chic cream frame, vintage style floral fabric and hand written luggage tags by Michelle Gledhill. A Cath Kidston inspired table plan, via Flickr. Vintage style fabric seating chart with names stuck on, by Elemental Weddings. Handmade pink rose table plan by Aimee Dunne.

something new: sweet rose invitation

2011-09-17T16:06:00.000+10:00

This simple and chic invitation with pretty rose design is perfect for garden events, or just to add a touch of romance. Shown here in rose bud pink with white and berry jam wording - or pick your own colours from our huge selection.

Supplied as a print ready computer file. Just print at home, trim and decorate. Don't think your home printers up to the task? No problem, you can just take our file to a local printer or just upload to online print shop.

Now available in the 'i do' it yourself shop.

spring flowers

2011-09-17T08:22:00.000+10:00

Spring is here! So lets take a quick look at the in season flowers available to Aussie brides:

Anenome, Arum Lily, Azalea, Baby's Breath, Blossom, Blue Bells, Sim Carnation, Pixie Carnation, Calendula, Camellia, Cornflowers, Daffodil, Delphinium, Daisies, Forget me not, Foxgloves, Freesia, Gardenia, Garden Roses, Heather, Hyacinth, Iris, Jasmine, Lavender, Lilac, Love in the Mist, Misty Blue, Muscari, Australian Natives, Phaly Orchid, Tropical Orchids, Peony Rose, Poppy, Queen Annes Lace, Ranunculus, Rhododendron, Snapdragon, Stephanotis, Stock, Sweet Pea, Sweet William, Tulip, Wall Flower, Viburnum. Arum Lily, Lily of the Valley, November Lily, Oriental Lily, Tiger Lily

Susan Avery of Susan Avery Flowers Woollahra says texture is big with brides right now. Using mixtures of very different blooms and leaves to create more depth.

Pic from J.Crew Spring 2010

sneak peek: the victoria room tea salon

2011-09-15T12:35:00.001+10:00

Girls, keep an eye out next month for the opening of a fabulous new venue - The Victoria Room Tea Salon, right in the heart of Sydney's CBD. The perfect location for a sophisticated bridal shower. Nothing beats a spot of retail therapy followed by champagne and nibbles.

We can't wait for the speciality scone menu featuring ten mouth-watering varieties including, lemon, pistachio & currant; white chocolate & cranberry; and lavender!

The Victoria Room Tea Salon is located in Westfield Sydney, on the Designer Gallery (Level 4), Centre of Pitt Street Mall and Market Street. It will be open seven days a week during Westfield’s trading hours from October 17th.

floral bridesmaid dresses

2011-09-13T10:28:00.000+10:00

At some point we've all looked at our parents wedding album and had a good laugh - and maybe a twinge of sympathy for the bridesmaids. All dressed in the same unflattering styles and shades, regardless of body shape.

The tradition of matching bridesmaid, and groomsmen, is thought to have originated in Ancient Rome. Witnesses to a wedding would wear identical clothing to the bride and groom in an attempt to outwit any evil spirits in attendance. That way they wouldn't know which couple was the one getting married and wouldn't be able to curse them.

No more curses for the modern bridesmaid. The days of matchy matchy dresses are on their way out and we've seen a fun new trend to mix it up. These beautiful floral combinations should give you a few great ideas for a pretty spring wedding.

Pics: unknown, via we heart it, via Once Wed, by Green Apple Photography

DIY beauty: floral nails

2011-09-11T08:11:00.000+10:00

Pic via We Heart It

Inspired by the pretty floral patterns of Cath Kidston designs, this is a really cute look for spring brides. And its surprisingly easy to do yourself, all you will need are a few different nail polish colours, a topcoat and a thin brush to apply.
There are some great video tutorials you can check out here and here.

in full bloom

2011-09-09T07:54:00.000+10:00

Well it is spring after all. And whats spring without florals... lots of florals! This month is in full bloom with chintzy roses and plenty of pretty colours - buttercup, crimson, spring and rose.

Beautiful floral wedding dress by Stella de Libero. Chintz bunting and vintage plates. Champagne glasses stacked on a pretty pink table via Utterly Engaged, photo by Bonnie Tsang. Colourful paper lanterns and pompoms decorate the ceiling, via Style me Pretty, photo by The Nichols. A wedding cake decorated with hand painted roses, by Amelie's House. Simple vases of flowers via Oh So Beautiful Paper. Paisley Rose vase from Fringe Studio.

something new: peacock guest book

2011-09-06T17:27:00.000+10:00

We've got a beautiful new design to share today. Our new peacock guest book makes an elegant and amazing statement.

As with the fingerprint guest book trees, just have different shaded ink pads available on the day for guests to leave their print, or simply ask them to sign within each feather! Shown here in pretty tiffany blue or you can pick your own colours from our options.

Now available from etsy

pink ribbon day

2011-09-04T11:59:00.032+10:00

Next month is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Pink Ribbon Day on Monday, 25th October. So if you are planning an October wedding why not add a splash of pink? Charity donations on behalf of your guests make really special wedding favours, add a donation box to your decor or simply spoil your bridesmaid with a lovely thank you gift like this super cute keyring with three mini lip glosses. $35 by Clinique with $5 per product going to the National Breast Cancer Awareness foundation.
If you live in America be sure to check out Brides Against Breast Cancer, and donate your old wedding dress to a great cause!

2011-09-02T12:22:00.000+10:00

Spring has finally sprung so here are some fresh ideas to get you DIYing for the big day.

Make it stick with the Xyron Quick Sticker Maker. The easy way to apply permanent and repositionable adhesive to items up to 1.5" wide, great for little wedding project. It doesn't use any heat, electricity or batteries, you simply place your item in the feeder and turn the handle or pull to apply the adhesive.
Doily Petals edge puncher from EK Success. Turn paper into beautiful three dimensional flowers with this pretty punch. There are four different designs to choose from - doily, carnation, dahlia and gerber petals.
Finally a paper punch that doesn't have to be positioned on the edge of the page! The new Everywhere Window Punches from Fiskars allow you to create a window anywhere - even right in the middle. In four shapes, square, circle, scalloped square and scalloped circle. Check out Fiskars great gift box tutorial that would be perfect adapted to wedding goodie bags.
Ditch the chalk and grab yourself a chalk pen from Chalk Ink! Brighter and easier to fix mistakes than ordinary chalk, there are even waterproof outdoor pens!
Rather than trying to hide the glue, let is shine and sparkle with glittered hot glue gun refills from Imaginisce. Sold in packs of 24 and available in a variety of colours.

ultimate wedding planning party

2011-08-31T11:46:00.000+10:00

Last week saw the Ultimate Wedding Planning Party brought to life at the stunning Opera Point Marque. You couldn't ask for a better backdrop than Sydney Harbour as 280 guests where entertained with bridal catwalk shows and expert wedding tips. 'i do' it yourself was there sipping sparkling wine and chatting to some of the best in the industry.

The show opened with a performance by Carmelo Pizzino of ‘Dancing with the Stars’ fame and his dance partner. Watch out grooms - Carmelo offers bridal waltz lessons!
The crowd favourite is of course the fashion - guests giving a collective gasp of delight when this gorgeous Nicky Velani creation stepped out.

With designs from Lisa Gowing, VELANI by Nicky Velani, Sarah Janks and Collette Dinnigan there was no shortage of ruffles and lace. Beaded belts were popular, 'The Knot' Editor Alicia Richardson predicting a return to more classic silhouettes with brides personalising their look with belts, headpieces and colourful shoes. Shoulder details such as lace boleros and sleeves are making a return, and a more relaxed tussled look to hair. All influenced in no small part by Kate Middleton and the royal wedding this year.

Models in Sarah Janks, Lisa Gowing, Collette Dinigan and VELANI by Nicky Velani

Less formal wedding bouquets are tipped and we could even see more brides and bridesmaids carrying a single stunning stem down the aisle. "Greens are always popular" said Susan Avery of Susan Avery Flowers in Woollahra. "We're seeing lots of texture in floral arrangements at the moment." A mix of nude tones currently very popular with brides will move to more purple shades.

One of our favourite trends seen on the night was the floral chandelier. From a small group of single buds tied to ribbons, to grand collections of cascading blooms mixed with pretty tea light candles. Beautiful when mixed with the real thing from Chandeliers to Die For who hire their creations for the ultimate bit of wedding day bling.

cheese cake

2011-08-27T21:12:00.001+10:00

What is the perfect accompaniment to a vineyard wedding? A cheese cake of course. Not a cheesecake - a cake of cheese. Serve guests a delicious selection of cheeses along with berries, grapes and figs. Delish!Try Farm Gate Cheese who deliver Australia Wide or Ocello in Surry Hills.

seventh heaven

2011-08-25T16:13:00.000+10:00

If you're looking for the prefect Hunter Valley accommodation then you must be looking for Seventh Heaven. A stunning new two level Guest house for four couples overlooking the 7th and 8th holes at The Vintage Golf Resort, Pokolbin.

The spacious house provides plenty of internal and external entertainment areas with 180 degrees of spectacular uninterrupted views. Imagine wakening on your wedding morning, kangaroos come to visit the pond along with ducks and local birds, colourful hot air balloons float above you while you enjoy a glass of local champagne.

Local attractions right on your doorstep include the Chateau Elan for spa treatments, facials and hair care. The Bimbagen Estate Winery - a popular wedding location. And of course the famous Vintage Golf Resort for the boys!

To make a booking or for more information contact The Vintage
or book through Stayz.com.au

corker of an idea

2011-08-24T18:00:00.000+10:00

Pic from Green is Universal

Now if you still have corks left over after all these DIY projects - heres another great idea, a corker of an idea in fact! Sorry. Recycle your wine corks into table numbers or a wedding monogram. All you need are some pre cut letters or numbers which you can find at most craft shops such as Spotlight and Lincraft, and a hot glue gun. Just stick your corks to the wooden base like we did with the wreath project.

2011-08-22T00:15:00.000+10:00

If you loved the look of David and Doris vintage travel vineyard wedding, heres how to get it...

Antique Chic Travel Menu Cards - celebrate in style with these beautiful menus customised with your details and wedding fare and supplied via email. $20 from 'i do' it yourself
Mint Green Bow Tie - tradition cricket style bow tie in japanese chambray. $68 from Forage
"...and they lived happily ever after" Rustic Wedding Sign - complete with stake and screws $55 from Sweet Wedding Details
Three Compartment Wine Box - Flourish design in beautiful unfinished birch. $69 from Wine For A Wedding
Ring Box - handmade in combination of oak, walnut and maple using reclaimed wood. $35 from JM Craft Works
Small Luggage Tag - this retro design is great for escort cards, place cards or gift tags for wedding favours. $15 from 'i do' it yourself

real wedding: David and Dori

2011-08-20T18:51:00.000+10:00

David and Dori combined vintage travel and vineyard style in their beautiful wedding at Warwick Valley Winery. It was a beautiful outdoor ceremony amongst the vines and orchards with a pretty pastel colour palette of green and cream. The groom looked dapper in bow tie and braces while the cutest little flower girl and pageboy stole the show.

David and Dori chose to include a beautiful wine box ceremony to the proceedings. If you haven't seen this before the idea is to create a little time capsule with wine from your wedding placed inside a box and sealed. You can make a little wooden box and nail it shut as David and Dori did, or purchase a custom made box with keys. On an anniversary open up the box and share the wine. You can even add letters to one another, copies of your vows, or anything special to look back on in years to come.

To keep the travel theme going, David and Dori had a beautiful postcard guestbook. Guests leave their messages for the couple on old postcards that were then placed inside a vintage suitcase. Table numbers were framed photos of David and Dori on their many travels around the world. Antique Chic Travel menu cards and orders of service from 'i do' it yourself completed the look.
Photos by Jose Reyes Photography.

wine bottle table numbers

2011-08-17T15:03:00.000+10:00

Pics: The Knot, Martha Stewart, Elizabeth Ann Designs, Martha Stewart.

Last week we told you to keep that stencil handy, and here's why. How about stenciling your table numbers onto old bottles of wine? Or you could make beautiful burlap bottle sacks, which also make great wedding favours. You can also print your table numbers straight onto sticker paper - you can pick packs up at office supply stores, waterproof labels are best.

To learn how to make your own stenciled burlap bags, Home Sweet Blog has an excellent step by step.

DIY project: wine cork wreath

2011-08-15T17:55:00.000+10:00

For a fun wedding decoration you can keep, why not make a wine cork wreath? Here creative couple Candice and Alvaro kept their vineyard themed wedding going with a beautiful display table for the guestbook, and even transformed an old window into their seating chart! Photo by Katie Stoops Wedding Photography.

To make your own cork wreath all you need is a hot glue gun, some florists wire, a straw wreath and some corks! Now we know it will be such a chore drinking all those bottle of wine to collect the corks, but go on, you can do it!

• You can pick up blank wreaths for craft shops in various sizes
• Wrap a bit of florists wire around the wreath, this will be used to hang it up with later
• Add a dollop of hot glue to the corks and stick them straight onto the wreath, pretty simple hu? You can glue them horizontally, as above, or try vertical to display the mix of colours stained to the bottoms of the corks. There is also a great video tutorial on Vimeo which shows this technique
• Work your way round the wreath glueing on the corks and repeat so you have a few layers on there
• Drink all the wine that you took the corks from

cheers!

2011-08-13T18:52:00.000+10:00

So it's time to decide on the alcohol for your big day, but where do you start? That is an extremely good question and it may lead even the steadfast teetotallers to drink. JR investigates the options.

The venue will play a big part in your decision making. If you are holding your wedding reception at a function centre do you have use of their bar facilities, or is there an option for you to provide your own alcohol? Your next choice will be to decide if you are going to have open bar, a limited bar (for example serving beer and wine only), a cash bar, a host bar or maybe even NO bar at all! Oh boy!

If you have selected an outside reception venue in a park remember to check if it's licensed for the consumption of alcohol. Do you need to obtain a licence? As an alternative you could always serve none alcoholic drinks such as pink lemonade, ice teas, fun fruit punches and non alcoholic cocktails.

A traditional Champagne toast can cost anywhere between $5 - $15 per person! And its not just the cost of the drinks, champagne flutes are often a forgotten item on the budget. Why not try punch, sparkling rose or even create your own signature cocktail.

The cost of the alcohol will depend upon where you purchase it from - the local bottle/wine shop, direct from the cellar door or a liquor wholesaler. Keep an eye out for bargains and advertising specials. If you want to order online and have door-to-door delivery the Wine-Searcher web site is a good place to start.

The big questing is how much alcohol you will need to provide. This will depended on the time of day and of course the number of guests attending. How many of them drink? Will there be any children? There are some very handy alcohol calculators online that come to the rescue.
• The Real Simple wine the liquor calculator
• Alcohol Guest Consumption Calculator

No matter what you choose always remember to serve water and soft drinks.

DIY project: wedding signs

2011-08-11T16:14:00.000+10:00

Pic via Miller Campbell Designs

Directing guests around an outdoor venue is pretty important, so why not DIY with cute handmade signs? Last month we took a look at a few ways to decorate wood with a reverse stencil, paint and even a wood burner. Any of these techniques will work fine but here is an simple stencil project:

You will need
• scrap wood
• nails and hammer
• paint and paintbrush
• a stencil kit

• Alphabet and number stencil can be found in art shops and craft stores. You may want to cut the letters off the sheet to speed things up a little.
• You can give your piece of wood a rough coat of white paint first for a more shabby chic effect, here we've just left our plank of wood as is
• Ummm.... stencil the words on! Pretty simple hu? It is best to write out what you will be stencilling on a sheet of paper first and work out which words are in the middle. Start stencilling from the centre and work your way out.
• Finish off by nailing your plank onto the poll

Keep your stencil hand for our more DIY wedding projects this month.

steal that style: grape or berry bouquet

2011-08-10T11:13:00.053+10:00

By Kate Harrison Photography

Flower arrangements accentuated with berries and grapes are perfect for a vineyard wedding. A bridal bouquet doesn't have to be just flowers as Anita’s bouquet, above, shows. It included adorable little raspberries. Or you could consider grape hyacinths, great for creating a berry effect.

Liatris, a tall purple flowering plant is popular in wine themed floral arrangements because of its resemblance to a cluster of grapes. Below this stunning centerpiece was created using a mixture of garden roses, sunflower cores, grape ivy, and muscat grapes all displayed in a simple wooden box.

Photo by Victor Schrager via New York Magazine

something new: guestbook grape vine

2011-08-08T19:04:00.000+10:00

It seems a while since we posted about a new product in the i do it yourself shop but we think this ones worth the wait. We have a beautiful new fingerprint guest book design - the grape vine.

For those of you who haven't seen this idea before, guests leave a fingerprint on the poster and sign there name, this time to act as a grape on the vine! Perfect for a vineyard wedding.

Supplied as a print ready PDF, just take the file to your local print shop for a quick and easy poster.
Available in our etsy shop.

a vine romance

2011-08-06T14:10:00.032+10:00

A vineyards can be the perfect location for a wedding so if you're thinking about tying the knot in a winery, raise a glass in celebration of this months theme. With so many beautiful venues to choose from in the Hunter Vallery, the Barossa and more, no wonder a wine themed wedding is so popular in Australia.

Credits: Jill and Mikes gorgeous real vineyard wedding shot by Jennifer Tai Photo Artistry, the vines make a perfect photo backdrop. A quircky recycled wine cork wreath, $65 from Lizzie Joe Designs. Not cheese cake but a cake of cheese, photographed by Luke Simon Weddings. Champagne flutes in the perfect outdoor wedding scene, via Brides.com.

Cork place card holders via Occasions Magazine. Old wine barrels are perfect for cake displays, guest book signing areas and more. The beautiful setting of a vineyard wedding venue.

Colour palette: Eucalyptus and fresh green, rose bud pink

2011-08-04T13:34:00.063+10:00

Spring is almost here, so it's time to treat yourself to a fresh new fragrance ready for the big day. Here are a some floral and fruity recent releases to splash out on.

1. Vera Wang Bouquet is a fresh, green, floral fragrance with top notes of bergamot, dew drops and blackcurrant leaves. De-lish! $170 for 100mL. 2. A favourite in the 'i do' it yourself office, Issey Miyake L’Eau d’Issey Florale, a soft floral scent with notes of yellow ginger lily and a budding rose, enhanced by sparkling notes of mandarin orange. $170 for 90mL 3. Gucci EDP II is feminine fragrance with a distinctive musk base. Notes of blackcurrant and blackberry give it a little extra kick. $159 for 75mL. 4. Miss Dior Blooming Bouquet is an explosion of fresh and fruity, just like the prefect bridal bouquet! $130 for 50mL. 5. Marc Jacobs Daisy has quickly become a classic and the latest incarnation Eau So Fresh is a bright, floral, fruity new version. With grapefruit, raspberry, green leaves and pear. And of course who could pass up that gorgeous bottle design - which is even bigger than the original! $145 for 125mL.

2011-08-02T08:35:00.043+10:00

Our friends at Fiskars have released a range of new punches in time for Halloween, including Turkeys and pumpkins. But we think the Oakey Dokey punch will come in handy for weddings. $14.95 from Scrapbook.com
Satin leaf ribbon is just the cutest way to wrap up gifts and wedding favours. $10.50 for a 10 meter roll from the Wrapping Paper Co. Shown here in Olive green from Sugar Pink Boutique.
Decorate light and dark fabrics with these new ZIG Fabricolor pens, twin packs costing around $4.50. Once ironed the ink becomes permanent, great if you want to incorporate some fabric into your wedding stationery, personalise accessories or even decorate purses, clutches and shoes.
OMG OMG OMG! We just love glitter at 'i do' it yourself but did you know there is such a thing as edible glitter? There are plenty of colours to choose from and even little edible stars! Starting at $8.95 from Cakes Around Town.
Fabric tapes from emerald+ella. Available in a rainbow of colours and patterns, from pink lace to navy stripes. Perfect for gift wrapping, crafting and DIY wedding invites. The tapes range from $9.95 - $16.95.

we ♥ july

2011-07-31T19:18:00.003+10:00

If you go into the woods today your sure of a big .... beautiful wedding! We hope you enjoyed this months woodland wedding ideas. Here are a few of our favourite finds this month to wrap things up.
We just fell in love with this picture from a real life whimsical woodland wedding, a bar in the middle of the forest and a stag lamp - awesome! Photo by Amore Studios. A black forest gateau just seems so fitting for a woodland wedding, pic by Katie Quinn Davies and a recipe can be found on Master Chef. A little red mushroom, and its a soap! Wouldn't it just make the cutest wedding favour? $6 each from Bubble Lane.

Next month on the blog... say cheers!

the pie bar

2011-07-29T18:28:00.002+10:00

Pic via Green Wedding Shoes

The idea of just one wedding cake has been quickly taken over the last few years by the dessert bar. But for a more rustic approach, great for cooler months, how about a pie bar?

Offer guests a mouthwatering selection of homemade pies in lots of fun flavours. Mini pies even make lovely wedding favours wrapped in little boxes tied up with string. And don't forget to check out our previous post for DIY pies in jars - so cute!

magic mushrooms!

2011-07-27T10:46:00.046+10:00

Cakes via Once Wed

Your guests will totally trip out over a cake decorated with marzipan or meringue mushrooms!

Whether using store bought marzipan or making your own from scratch, it can easily be molded like play dough into little mushrooms. Start by making the stems - just a blob of marzipan rolled into shape. For the tops use a cookie cutter to make circles, not too thick, and with a skewer make little imprints all the way round for added effect. To decorate just dust with some dirt, ie coco powder, and even some grated chocolate. And for an extra touch of magic add a light dusting of ediable glitter.
Who knew fungus could be so much fun?

For a meringue methed check out this recipe from Martha Stewart.

DIY project: terrarium centerpieces

2011-07-25T11:11:00.033+10:00

Searching for the perfect woodland wedding centerpiece? Then look no further than a terrarium – a magical miniature landscape complete with living plants displayed in a glass container. This beautiful example above is from Make Something, and there are plenty of other great resources available on the internet to show you have to make your own, these are a couple of our favourites:

Camera and Light have added cute toy deer and little pine cones to their wood themed terrarium
Martha has some quick tips here

DIY project: decorating wood

2011-07-23T10:18:00.002+10:00

Pics via The Sweetest Occasion, Young House Love and Going Home to Roost.

There was a lot of interest last week in our printer to wood DIY project post, here. So I thought we'd take a look at a few other great ideas to turn an ordinary piece of wood into a wedding wonder!

Wood burning. A fantastic technique perfect for signs and table numbers, and if you are really keen - place cards! You will need to purchase a wood burning kit from a hardware store such as Bunnings or online. These cost around $30, so not too expensive and the effect is really gorgeous. See the step by step on The Sweetest Occasion.
Painted stencils. Great for table numbers this lovely idea from Young House Love is very simple. All you will need are some large numbers quickly printed up onto basic card stock, painters tape, a stanley knife and paint!
Trace and paint. A little more time consuming but you can achieve beautiful results with this lovely DIY project found on Going Home to Roost.

real wedding: Kathryn and Ben

2011-07-21T21:06:00.001+10:00

Today we have a really lovely real wedding to share and hopefully inspire you. Last post we had a little look at DIY firefly jars. A great idea if you don't actually have fireflies around. In this wedding, the bride Kathryn included firefly catching jars as wedding favours. "They were a major hit and I thought it was a super cute DIY idea." says photographer Crystal George.
Kathryn and Ben also chose one of our fingerprint trees as their wedding guest book. It's always amazing to see our work brought to life.

Thank you to Crystal George Studios for sharing these lovely images.

DIY project: glowing firefly jars

2011-07-19T07:32:00.001+10:00

Pic: We heart it

Don't you just love it when something so pretty is so simple? Just flick glow in the dark paint onto the insides of jars and recreate the magic of fireflies. A very clever idea from Chrisjob on Curbly.

DIY project: printer to wood transfer

2011-07-17T08:29:00.007+10:00

Using mod podge, glue and a piece of paper this great step by step shows you how to transfer inkjet images from your home printer onto wood. Click here to see the tutorial from Matsutake. Place settings, table numbers, decorations, there are plenty of ways to use this technique.

woodland creatures

2011-07-14T09:11:00.005+10:00

Set the scene for a magical woodland wedding with this beautiful rustic range of printable wedding stationery. Pick from a selection of Aussie, US or European birds and animals, you can use one throughout the range or mix and match from the following: rabbit, kangaroo, deer, owl, butterfly, wolf, dingo, bear, koala, squirrel and kookaburra/kingfisher.

With a lovely faux wood design all part of the file - no special paper required - the range is shown here in blue but choose from a wide range of colour options. We've finished the look off by cutting our rounded corners with a paper punch.

All designs are supplied as printable PDF computer files for easy at home printing - or just take to your local print shop. Available from the i do it yourself shop.

tree heart tags

2011-07-11T07:22:00.001+10:00

If you're looking for free wedding downloads don't forget to check out our website idoityourself.com.au. These beautiful wood effect designs - or tree hearts - are available to download for free. With six tags, three green and three brown, each circle is 3inches across so they're easy to cut out with a circle punch. Here we have printed them out on a fairly thick card stock, punched a small hole and added some string so we can tie them to wedding favours.

Click here to visit the website and visit our FREEBIES section for more free wedding gift tag templates.

save your skin

2011-07-09T20:48:00.001+10:00

Forget sun damage, the winter can wreak havoc on your skin. Cold weather, strong winds and dry air from heaters can leave your skin dehydrated and damaged. Here are a few of our favourite winter skin saviours:

Aveda Botanical Kinetics Hydrating Lotion $79.95
Origins Drink Up 10 minute mask $45.00
Jurlique Lavender Hydrating Mist $24.00
U Little Beauty Drought Relief Hydrating Facial Mask $29.95

If natural DIY beauty is more your thing try these tips to exfoliate and moisturise in the winter months.

Oats are not only good for a winter breakfast, they are a great beauty product too. Cook up some oats and mix them with honey. Apply to your face and leave it on for 10 to 15 minutes.
Sliced tomatoes placed on the face tone and freshen the skin, and also help with acne.
A mashed papaya mask left of for 5 minutes will exfoliate.
And of course we all know cucumber softens the skin and helps to minimise dark circles under the eyes. Mix grated cucumber with cool yogurt for inflamed skin.

winter weddings

2011-07-07T18:48:00.001+10:00

Photo by Stephanie Williams

While spring and summer are usually the seasons for love, winter weddings are an increasingly popular option and can help with the all important budget.

With the venue and catering taking up a whopping 50% of a couples average wedding budget, it certainly pays to shop around. It's generally easier to find a wedding venue in the slower winter season. And while we've seen a huge increase in the number of weekday weddings, if you're set on a certain venue on a Saturday, a winter wedding may provide you with more options. Other suppliers such as photographers and bands may also be far cheaper and more available.

There are plenty more ways to save with a winter wedding. Colder weather will mean comfort food which can often be cheaper but certainly no less appreciated by your guests. Consider a fun hot chocolate toast rather than a champagne toast - a wedding tradition that eats into the budget big time! Instead of one expensive wedding cake offer a selection of yummy pies. And as for the honeymoon, well winter here means summer there! Popular overseas honeymoon destinations like Hawaii are perfect this time of year. Happy planning.

2011-07-05T09:27:00.004+10:00

Well I don't know what the weather is like where you are, but here its turned decidedly freezing! So as we rug up in our Aussie office and crack open the coco, this month we're going to take a look at a wintry woodland wedding.

Unleash your inner forest fairy with a dreamy look from Anthropologie. After an outdoor ceremony, move the reception indoors to a venue like this barn covered in beautiful fairy lights, via FizzyArtist.

Add some cute campsite inspiration with rustic table decorations, via Elizabeth Anne Designs. Or try a terrarium for a unique table talking point, via flickr. Kick off your wedding theme with woodland invitations from 'i do' it yourself. You can pick from a selection of Aussie, US and European woodland creatures, use one throughout the range or mix and match! Forget the cake and try a pie, warm up with this delicious blueberry and yogurt creation via Candy and Cake. Beautiful birds nest ring bearer bowl from Cotton Bird Designs. And don't forget your furry friends, like this little deer ornament.